I'm planning a small, simple garden railway with the potential to later expand into something larger. The idea is to start with a simple oval that will be expanded by adding switches later. In order to minimize re-digging trenches and ripping up track, I'd like to first make sure that I can easily swap switches in later (at least four) without having to reconfigure the track too much. Because the plan is for the new track to be the new mainline, I'd like to be able to replace curved track instead of straight track (so that the mainline is as straight as possible).
That could probably be clearer, but hopefully you get the idea. I'm planning to use AristoCraft brass track, with no flex track to start out with, and I'm not planning any curves less than 8' dia.
I had an HO layout in my parents' basement many, many years ago, but I've forgotten anything I once may have known as a kid about track design. So I have a couple of probably very basic questions I hope someone here can help me with. Since switches and crossings are so expensive, it'd be helpful to get these planned out other than by trial and error.
1. Using only pre-sold track segments, is there a simple set of track I can lay now so that only a few pieces of track need to be replaced when I want to put in a 10' dia. or #6 switch? Looking at the AristaCraft web site, it doesn't look like you can just swap a 10' switch's curved leg for a 10' curve section. Am I reading this wrong? If not, is there an easy fix that won't look or operate strangely? (i.e., just shove a 6" straight in somewhere? or a custom-cut piece of track?)
2. In one section of the layout, I'd eventually like to have two parallel tracks a few inches apart and have a switch branch off from one track across the other track. (Designing things this way will make it much, much easier to expand the layout later). If this is confusing, imagine two parallel tracks connected with back-to-back switches, then replace one switch with a crossing (a switch would create a feedback loop). My questions are:
a. Can I make this work with preformed track sections--say, a 10' switch, a six-inch straight, and a 30 deg. crossing? (In other words, is the curved section of a switch a full 30 degree curve?)
b. How close can or should I make these parallel tracks? They'll be straight and parallel at this point, and the space is tight, so the closer the better.
3. I understand that anything more than 2 or 3 degrees will look bad. But I may eventually (in a later expansion project) add a "hidden" section of track going from one part of my property to another (it'll be accessible, but not visible from any convenient viewing location, not landscaped, etc.) It'd be convenient to have a steeper grade here to get the track over some obstacles at the other end. What's the practical limit for grade in terms of train operation, regardless of aesthetic considerations? How long will a train need to be before I notice an effect?
Thanks for any help you can give, and let me know if anything isn't clear.
I have got 4 % grades in some parts of my layout combined with R3 and a few R2 curves and i wish i didn't. It cuts down theamount of rolling stock youtr loco will pull nd it also causes othjer problems as well.
I am trying hard to stick to 2 % these days and at the worst 3 % on a straight run.
Crossing i do not have, but points (switches) i can help with; what exactly do you wish to know. This is a very big subject and i could rabbit on for hours.
Rgds Ian
Hi I hope that the info that follows will help both short and long term. Why use the track that seems right now? if I was starting out I would use LGB track and turnouts( all my track is this) it comes in diffewrant lenths turn outs can be manual or electric( mine are all electric savs running around the garden to change them. As you say you want radius of 8ft plus you may be all ready thinking of locos 2-8-0 or 4-10-2 min radius for this size is 8ft go smaller and you have to slow loco down this does not give realistic running.
I use the train engineer to contril my locos and thier accessories to co trol turn outs, in 5 yrs I have not had any problems with traxck or controll.
Hope this helps if you would like more info post your emil
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
FJ and G wrote:you might consider handlaying track; I'll put up a post on that
I might consider handlaying track in a few years. Right now I'm considering what will get me up and running quickly, but still leave room for expansion later.
two tone wrote:if I was starting out I would use LGB track and turnouts( all my track is this) it comes in diffewrant lenths turn outs can be manual or electric( mine are all electric savs running around the garden to change them.
From what I can tell, the Aristo-craft track comes in just as many lengths and they also have an electric switching option. I chose Aristo-Craft because I'd read in various places that they had screw-in rail joiners (which I like) and built-in posts for jumpers on each track piece. Plus, from what I can see Aristo offers a greater variety of pre-formed curves; they have 12 different preformed curve radius tracks, and I've only ever seen 3 or 4 from LGB. On the other hand, LGB does seem to have a better variety of switches, so if you can answer my questions above using LGB R5 switches instead of Aristo R4s, as I was planning originally, then I can redesign to take that into account.
Chapca ,ate; those Aristo screwed connections sounded good to me too; but i am gradually getting rid of them. Different things work in different environments but here they did not. They filled up with dirt and become low conductivity joints. I clean the whole thing up put on an LGB joiner and solder it;; no more truible. However i do like Aristo track, possibly one of the best i have used.
Now if you are talking about electrically operated points (switches) be aware that they aren't all that onterchangable. LGB work off about 18V+ AC and other s off DC and stillothers work off DC and are directional.
I use plenty of LGB i have 8 sets and two of those sets are doubles ie a change over and a siding set. The double ones are quite terrific to watch and experience, as you are doing something distinctly in tandem.
Rgds ian
I have looked at your posting what pleases you is what you should do the only thing to remember is that when curves are put in you will need a bigger gap between the two tracks. The over hang from the front of a big 2-8-0 loco is suprising and if two locos meet on a curve they can derail each other as I found to my cost
John
iandor wrote: Now if you are talking about electrically operated points (switches) be aware that they aren't all that onterchangable. LGB work off about 18V+ AC and other s off DC and stillothers work off DC and are directional.
I was planning on using Aristo switches. Their switches don't come with electrics built in (other than the 2' radius switches, which I'm trying to avoid), but they do appear to have a remote switch kit you can add on to their own or LGB switches. I was planning on using this kit because I eventually wanted to get the Train Engineer system and I figured it would be sure to work with the TE switch receivers. Is this right?
Thanks for your help!
I havent used ti Aristo ones but the LGB ones just tack on the side and are very easy to add and also you can connect the switch motors to supplementary switches and make a relay out of them as well.
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